Subject: Italy
Period: 1730 (published)
Publication: Claudii Ptolemaei's Atlas Tabulae geographicae Orbis Terrarum
Color: Hand Color
Size:
18.8 x 13.4 inches
47.8 x 34 cm
This crisply engraved Ptolemaic map covers Italy and Corsica with part of Sardina and Sicily. There are rope-like mountains, prominent rivers, and ancient place names. An interesting sea monster appears to be a cross between a turtle and a flying fish. Mercator originally published this map in his 1578 edition of Ptolemy's great Geography. Although he is most renowned today for the projection he popularized and for first using the term atlas for a collection of maps, he devoted much of his life to his Ptolemaic maps. The maps were beautifully engraved as nearly as possible to their original form and embellished with fine cartouches.
References: Mickwitz & Miekkavaara, (Nordenskiold-2) #235-24.
Condition: B
There are several ink notations in the map.